Broom



Nov; 27 1923. 1,475,620

L BERBERICH ET AL BROOM Filed Feb. 2 1925 LORENZ BERBEEICH AND encore.

Application filed February 27,

portion of the broom, permanently attached to the broom in such manner that the broom straws, or corn, will be stiiiened at their upper portion, rendered more resilient, and prevented from breaking in the normal use oi the broom. Other objects of the invention are to provide a covering which will protect that portion of the broom which is ordinarily struck against objects of furniture or the like, to prevent the spreading apart of the free ends of the corn, to retain the individual straws that may break, and generally to strengthen the broom body, and prolong its life, while retaining and increasing its natural resiliency.

ther objects of the invention comprise the dividing of the fibers or straws oi the broom into small compact groups, and the surroundingoi the whole with a flexible cover adapted to maintain the individual straws and the groups of strawsin substantially straight position, whereby to give addition resiliency and strength to the broom.

@ther objects and advantages will be ap parent to those familiar with the art of making and using brooms from the following specification:

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation of a broom showing the reinforcing and enveloping member sewed thereon; Fig. 2 is a central section through the middle of. the broom in its widest dimension showing how the corn is divided into groups by. transverse stitching; and Fig. 3 is a cen" tral vertical section through the broom right angles to that of 2, showing the bending of the broom and the reinforcing eli'ect of our construction, when the broom is in use.

It is a well known fact that the ordinary corn broom, as commonly constructed tends to become flared out at the corners through use. i

a their free end. Also that the straws tend tobreak off in use slow the lowest line or" stitching Tl ese broken straws either r g to the broom in a useless condition, or eare entirely ost.

The desirabiln y of placing some form of band about the broom in order to keep the cor oroperly together, and to hold the inlual straws straight, has long been known, and a number of different devices have been devised for securing these results.

@ur construction is applied to an ordinary broom having a handle 1 to which is attached a broom body 2 by means of wiri J 3, in the ordinary manner. As is well known the corn is attached to such a broom a round form, then it is compressed in so, which spreads it out to the ordinary broom shape, and then the corn is stitched through by machinery to hold it permanently in the flattened shape.

in constructing our device we surround the broom with an elastic cover 4, preferably of rubber, while the corn is in the ori inal round form. This band may be molded or formed into annular form, or may be merely a flat strip wound around with its ends overlapping. When the vise is applied to flatten the broom out, this stretches the rubber and leaves it under tension about the broom in the form shown in 1. The broom is then sewed tightly thro gh and through by a number of rows stitching as illustrated. This sewing or comprises outer cords 5, which extend are. til the broom, and intermediate cross threads 6, which pass around the outer cords and through the body of the broom. These threads 6, together with the surrounding cords 5, divide the corn into what are in efiect bunches, and together with the stretched elastic envelope, which is bound on securely by the stitching, greatly reinforce and strengthen the broom body.

The elastic envelope extends for a material distance below the lowest stitching, and terms efiect a resilient skirt 7 below the last row of stitching, adapted to compress the free ends of the corn and so to keep any of it from breaking oil at the lower row of stitching.

e have found from actual trial that this el stic band around the broom, under ten- I when sewed on by the stitching directly through the corn as illustrated, makes a very strong compact broom, while at the same time permitting; the corn to bend sufficiently throughout the entire length of the broom, and so retaining the desired flexibility and springiness. The sewing of the band tightly to the corn adds greatly to the strength and efficiency of the combination. As shown in Fig. 3, the broom body bends as a whole and the band on the convex side is actually stretched between the stitches.

The simplicity, economy of material, and ease of manufacture of this structure is apparent. The sewing is only that which has to be applied to brooms anyhow, and therefore our elastic band can be applied with almost no additional expense other .than that due to the cost of the rubber itself.

This is not large, and the resulting additional length of life and additional eiiiciency in the use of the broom is far greater than the comparatively small increase in cost due to the addition of this element.

There is nothing to get out of order, nothing requiring any manipulation, adjustment, or modification whatever by the user, and the band will last as long as the broom. The cover being flexible, can not possibly injure any furniture against which it may strike, while at the same time it prevents the breaking of straws due to such accidental contact.

o believe that we are the first to actually build into a broom a flexible envelope permanently held under tension, adapted to compress the broom, hold it straight, and to reinforce every straw of it, while at the same time retaining all of its resiliency and flexibility throughout its length. The head $2 at the lower edge of the band reinforces and strengthens it, adds to the pleasing appearance, and gives a greater tension at that point. The upper bead 9 protects the other edge of the band but is chiefly for ornament.

it will be obvious that this construction applies to brooms of any form, as for e:;- ample, whisk brooms, toy brooms, etc.

though it is chiefly valuable for ordinary floor brooms.

We claim:

A. broom comprising an ordinary corn body, an elastic band under tension around the middle portion thereof and retained thereon by rows of stitching extending through the broom and said elastic l. .nd, the band having a skirt portion extending below the lowest row of stitching, and ending short of the free end of the broom body.

2. A broom comprising an ordinary corn body, a rubber band around the middle portion thereof and sewed thereon, the band having a skirt portion extending below the sewing, and a terminal reinforcing head on said band.

The combination with a broom comprising an ordinary corn body, of an elastic band surrounding and compressing the intermediate portion of the broom body but not extending to the free end thereof, and stitching extending through the band and broom body.

In testimony whereof, we hereunto sign our names.

LORENZ BERBERICH. GEORGE BERBERICH.

Witness:

EDWIN O. JOHNS. 

